Thursday, 20 November 2014

Stalker Obsessed With Ex-EastEnders Star Brooke Kinsella

Stalker: Paul Mason

An obsessed stalker, fixated with ex-EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, repeatedly sent unwanted messages and gifts and constantly tried to meet the star - even visiting the grave of her murdered brother and penning fantasy love letters.

Paul Mason, 40, of Farley Road, Catford was convicted yesterday after the 31 year-old, who played Kelly Taylor in the BBC soap from 2001 to 2004, gave evidence from behind a screen at Bexley Magistrates Court.

She described Mason's behaviour as: "odd" and: "scary", particularly his references to having already bought her wedding dress for their marriage and vow to show up at the acting school for children she runs.

He denied, but was convicted, of stalking between January 1, 2013 and April 4, this year and was bailed until December 10 for a pre-sentence report.

Mason claims that as a victim of knife crime himself he was simply trying to support the actresses work with the Ben Kinsella Trust, dedicated to the memory of her 16 year-old brother, who was stabbed to death by three young men on June 29, 2008.

He turned up unannounced at a theatre she was performing at, a Trust open day event she was hosting, where he hugged her and the Trust's HQ, the Lions Centre, a leisure facility next to Millwall Football Club.

Brooke Kinsella

Mason left gifts such as CD's, oils, perfume and a ring at the locations and when police searched his home they found a quantity of expressive love letters devoted to the actress.

Islington-born Brooke told the court the first time she ever heard the name Paul Mason was in 2011 when the Home Office - who the Trust work with - contacted the police about troubling letters they had received about her from the defendant.

"I was told to be vigilant and was given his description and told to look out for him.

"I was performing at Bromley Theatre and the box office staff told me my friend had been looking for me and his name was Paul Mason. I was obviously worried because I'd been told to be vigilant about him.

"A couple of days later two actress friends were in the auditorium and he managed to get in and spoke to them, calling me: 'Pumpkin.'

"He contacted me on Facebook and Twitter and I received numerous messages on my phone and he would tell me my wedding dress was ready.

"I blocked him, but he set up new accounts and sent more messages such as: 'You will be my wife.'

Convicted: Paul Mason

"Sometimes they were complimentary and he would always refer to me as: 'Pumpkin'. It struck me as a bit odd and a bit scary and just seemed to escalate."

She was most concerned about his promise to show up at her True Stars Academy. "He said: 'I'll come down to see you and the kids.'

"I felt threatened from the moment he said he was coming down."

The only time Brooke met Mason face-to-face was at the Trust's open day in August 2013 at Millwall FC. "He came up to me and hugged me and said he had presents for me.

"I didn't look at the presents. I just wanted to get out of there."

Mason's lawyer Mr. Roger Hill told the court: "This is at the bottom end of the scale. His case is that he met the lady when she first auditioned to go on EastEnders at Elstree and was subsequently aware of what happened to her and was supporting her."

The defendant, who has a previous conviction for harassment, will also be the subject of a prosecution application for a restraining order to prohibit contact with Brooke.

District Judge Mr. Robert Hunter announced: "There are matters here that need looking into. In the light of his previous the court are considering custody.

"The defence have described him as eccentric, which is one way of putting it."